


Remember

by ArtistAtHeart1



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics), Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst and Feels, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Feels, Gen, Memory Loss, Tim Drake Needs a Hug, Tim Drake is Red Robin, Tim Drake-centric
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:34:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26207254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtistAtHeart1/pseuds/ArtistAtHeart1
Summary: A bad head injury causes Tim to forget the two weeks he's gone missing.  Everyone wants answers.  Who abducted Tim and why?  And is Tim in the clear now that he's home?
Comments: 3
Kudos: 115





	1. Chapter 1

A shallow, crimson red puddle drenched knotted black hair and scarred pale skin. Red and black clothes were torn, but not fully destroyed. Eyes clamped shut as though sleeping, but shallow breathing suggested something more sinister. Life was fleeting piece by piece as the sound of anxious running drew closer.

"Tim!" Jason gasped, whipping out a communicator. "Bruce, I found Tim." He crouched down, feeling for a pulse as Bruce frantically started asking for a location. "I'm outside Crime Alley. We're going to need an ambulance. _Now!_ "

Jason elevated Tim's head slightly, ripping off some of his sleeve to help cover the wound. Moving Tim wasn't going to be not much of an option. At least until the proper transportation was brought to them.

"It's going to be okay Tim." Jason lamented. "Just hold on."

~

A bright, white ceiling greeted eyes as they slowly started to open. Confusion and panic surged through Tim's body, forcing him to quickly sit up. A banging sensation hammered his head as hands grabbed his shoulders. Taking a moment to focus on his surroundings, Tim realized that Bruce was the one latched onto him which was a comfort. However, Bruce's anxious expression was curious.

"It's okay." Bruce gasped. "You're okay."

Tim let out a distressed yell, leaning forward even further, clenching his head. Bruce barely let out a flinch before getting Tim to lay back down in the hope that it would help relieve some of the pain. Tim continued to hiss and moan as nurses and an alarmed Jason ran into the room.

"He just woke up." Bruce explained as the nurses refilled his morphine IV. "Bolted up a little to fast for his head's liking."

"Did he say anything?" Jason asked, sitting on the other side of the bed.

"No. The pain hit him almost instantaneously."

Turning his attention to Tim, gentle removing his hands from their place and slowly setting them to Tim's sides. Tim didn't fight back, the morphine progressively starting to take over. Consciousness was fleeting, but with what little lucidity Tim had left, he could hear Jason and Bruce mumbling. He couldn't make out much, only that they were discussing something and Jason telling him to 'hold on'.

~

Tim slowly regained consciousness, this time a lot less panicked than the previous time. He felt sluggish, but a stretch and a sigh was enough to get him going. Observing the hospital room, he saw both Jason and Bruce. They appeared tense, but calm enough to attempt to not disturb Tim.

"Morning." Bruce sighed with a soft smirk.

Tim attempted to sit up, only for Jason to stop him. Jason shook his head.

"You've got a bad head injury." Jason stated. "According to Leslie, it looked like you were thrown out of a window. Blunt force trauma and all. And as such, wants you to stay lying down for a while."

Tim sighed in weakened defeat. It was probably for the best. The room was sucked into a deep silence. One thing was on everyone's mind. More so with Bruce and Jason given the condition Tim was found him.

You've been gone for two weeks." Bruce admitted. "What happened?"

Tim was stunned by the declaration. Not a single memory was coming to him over the course of two weeks. His hands slowly inched closer to his face, horrified.

"I don't know." Tim replied. "The last thing I remember is heading out for a lunch meet up with Conner and Cassie." Panic surged through his body, causing him to try and sit up again. "Are they alright?"

"They're fine." Jason comforted, getting Tim back into position.

That seemed to give Tim some solace. However, that did not explain the lapse in time. As far as his memory was concerned, he was supposed to go out to lunch. Which felt like it should have happened today. At the same time, Bruce was puzzled by the lack of memory. While not that surprising given the nature if Tim's head injury, he had hoped that Tim remembered something.

"Can you tell me anything?" Tim requested.

It was a simple request. One that Bruce was willing to give him. Because while he may not know what happened during Tim's disappearance, he could fill in for the initial issue.

"As you said, you had a lunch date with Conner and Cassie," Bruce began, "but you never made it. And what little security footage we found showed you making your way there only for you to be pulled into an alleyway by something, or someone. We've been looking for you ever since," Bruce sighed, "but we never figured out who took you and unfortunately, it appears you don't either. Jason found you on Crime Alley with your head bleeding out and there are traces of past physical trauma."

Processing Bruce's explanation was easy enough, but it's implication was frightening. For two weeks, Tim was missing, abducted, and he couldn't even remember it. Tim curled up, horrified. Not only because of the fact that he allowed himself to be that vulnerable, but because he couldn't remember who did it. He couldn't remember what might have been done to him.

He wasn't sure if he wanted to scream or cry, but the trembling was suffice enough to get Jason to react. He sat beside Tim, setting a hand on Tim's shoulder. Tim leaned into it, leaning towards Jason embracing the comfort.

"I think that's enough." Jason sighed. "We're not going to get anywhere today. And since his head injury blocked out the last two weeks, we might not for a while." He glanced at Tim. "It'll be alright Tim. We're going to calm down and worry about this when you're in the clear, okay?"

Tim nodded. He took a few breaths in an attempt to calm down a little.

"Why don't I grab us something to eat." Jason suggested. "You haven't eaten since who knows when and I'm craving some fries."


	2. Chapter 2

Jason was on monitor duty as Bruce went off on his nightly routine. Tim was still bed bound, much to his dismay. The pain in his head had thankfully gone down a bit, but nobody wanted him to get out of bed for at least another day or two when he would hopefully be released. Tim knew it had to be done, even if he wanted to pick up life like nothing happened. That aside, there was still the issue of the missing two weeks. Tim was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that he was abducted and didn't even remember it, or the culprit. It was understandable to have some confusion about it, and Jason could only do so much to help.

"I just don't know who would have the motive to." Tim recounted. "Sure, I've made enemies, who hasn't in our line of work, but from what I remember, I hadn't made any around that time. Nor have I done anything for our batch of criminals to consider that as far as I know."

"And it wasn't a ransom." Jason disproved. "We would have heard about it pretty quick. They would have called or something with demands if someone had and gotten you back with little to no problem."

"Right."

Tim's finger gently grazed the stitches where his head injury was. How such a wound could cause two weeks felt strange. Maybe not unlikely, but strange. However, it did leave Tim with one other question.

"Should we put this behind us then?" Tim inquired. "Now that I am out of harm's way."

Jason shifted a bit at the question. It wasn't one that neither he or Bruce had entirely discussed since finding Tim. It didn't feel too important in the moment. Though it was a question that wasn't all too surprising, nor was it one they wouldn't consider at some point.

"Yes and no." Jason answered. "I do think that we should maybe put it behind you while your in the hospital. You don't need the added stress right now and we should focus on your head injury right now. That being said, I'm sure Bruce will want to have this investigated, you were abducted and could have died, so he's going to want to do something about it. And if you remember anything, I'm sure it'll be worth knowing."

"Good point."

A knock on the door distracted their conversation. Looking at the door, there was a surprising, but not too unexpected visitor.

"Hey buddy." Dick greeted, entering the room. "How are you?"

"As good as I can be, I suppose." Tim sighed with a soft grin. "What brings you here?"

"Well I heard you got found, and I wanted to visit. You're in the clear, which is good, all things considered. I've also got you a little gift."

Dick pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to Tim. It was several cards, nothing overly fancy, but several well presented ones. They were from Conner and Cassie. Conner's attempting to lighten the mood, stating just how relieved he was alive, while Cassie's seemed anxious, but just as relieved.

"They thought about coming, but they didn't want to overcrowd the room." Dick admitted, before letting out a sigh. "Anything come back?"

"No." Tim sighed.

"We don't even have a motive." Jason stated.

Dick sat on the edge of the bed. Guilt and concern set in as Dick set a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." Dick softly apologized. "Well figure this out what happened, okay?"

"It's okay." Tim accepted, feeling pain slowly creeping in.

Tim let out a frustrated groan as he tapped Jason's arm. The headache was getting progressively worse. Jason nodded, pressing a button to alert the nurses. Upon entering the room, Jason gestured for Dick to move and that he wanted to speak with him.

"I'll be right back, just gonna have a chat with Dick really quick, okay?" Jason assured. "You just get some rest."

"Okay." Tim sighed. "Thanks Dick."

"You're welcome Timmy." Dick replied. 

Jason lead Dick out of the room while the nurses did their work. They stepped out of the room, staying right outside of it.

"Thank you for bringing those to him." Jason thanked. "It may not seem like much, but he needs it."

"My pleasure." Dick responded with a brief, small grin. "I just wish there was more I could do."

Jason's arms folded. Dick wasn't alone in this sentiment, but there wasn't much they really could do.

"Unfortunately, we can't expect much from his current memory issue. Unless he miraculously remembers something in the next few minutes."

The two went silent, the wheels in their heads turning. Both trying to think of something to say. A thought sparks in the back of Duck's mind.

"Do you remember his last mission?" Dick asked. "Maybe that can narrow it down somewhat. Maybe narrow down a suspect or two."

"I think he was going between two actually." Jason recalled. "He was helping Bruce locate a rumored Lazarus Pit in Jump City and assisted Cass during a confrontation with Lady Shiva."

"He's dealt with Lady Shiva before."

"Yeah, but these days Shiva seems interested in Cass. I believe Bruce and Barbara suspect they could be related."

"Which leaves the pool salesman."

"The Lazarus Pit rumor turned up negative."

A nurse snaked out of the room, barely making a sound. Jason moved aside, giving her his attention.

"He's out." She relayed as the other nurses departed. "Doctor Thompson should check in in an hour."

"Sounds like a plan."

The nurse took a few steps before stopping. Her shoulders flinched as though she remembered something.

"Does the term ghoul mean anything to you?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Information is processed and an intruder breaks into Tim's room.

"Leslie feels like he projected." Jason relayed, hands resting beneath his chin. "While he may not really remember the last two weeks, his subconscious does. So he may have projected a memory without thinking."

Bruce, Jason and Dick were huddled in Tim's hospital room as Damian was passed out on the unused bed, exhausted from patrol. Upon hearing about his dazed revelation, Bruce was anxiously stunned. They all had a hunch about what it meant.

"It has to be Ra's." Bruce deduced.

"But the Lazarus Pit hunt turned out negative." Jason reminded.

"The guy's got an obsession with this family." Dick mentioned. "Tim being a current one. So, I wouldn't be surprised."

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Jason allowed the room to go silent as he processed the situation. Neither were wrong, but it still felt a little off. The motive felt half baked, with the failed Lazarus Pit hunt, but he'd be lying if he said Ra's being involved wasn't a plausible option.

"So Ra's abducted him only to be shoved off a building two weeks later?" Jason sighed.

"Possibly." Bruce agreed.

"But why?" Dick filled in, still not all that thrilled about the revelation.

"Does it matter?" Jason argued. "The point is, Ra's al Ghul abducted Tim and nearly killing him."

An anxious gasp escaped, disrupting the mood and the conversation. Hands nervously clenched Tim's arms and shaking permeated through his body. When he woke up, none of them knew, but if his pained expression was anything to go off of, he was up long enough to be horrified by what they said.

"He's always watching." Tim muttered. " _'I've got something planned Timothy. Just you wait.'_ That's what he said the last time I saw him." Tim hunched forward, his hand covering his mouth. "What did he do?"

"Unfortunately, you're the only one who would know," Bruce admitted, "which you don't."

His previous attempt to remain calm and standoffish view of investigating it was crushed. As grim and traumatic as it was, he had some peace not knowing who did it. But with Ra's, there was nothing to be peaceful about. And while being held hostage by any of the criminals in Gotham would be intimidating, Ra's added a whole new layer. Connections aside, he could be pretty vindictive. However, Tim was still at a loss for why he did two weeks ago. He hadn't do anything that he knew of other than the cold Lazarus Pit lead.

"Why don't we just let it go for tonight?" Jason suggested, pulling Tim out of his train of thought. "Bruce and Damian have to get back to the manor so Damian can be ready for school in the next few hours. You need your sleep and will getting out soon. So it's better if we save the investigating for later."

"Get down." Damian muttered. 

"What?" Jason questioned, as all eyes fell on the young Robin.

"Get down!"

Glass broke instantaneously, prompting everyone to move with Jason lunging to shield Tim. Identifying the source wasn't difficult as Bruce wedged himself between the cloaked and armed figure and Tim. He eyed Tim, who was unscathed and still under Jason's protection.

"Get Tim out of here!" Bruce ordered with a growl.

Jason wasn't going to be told twice. He quickly and carefully removed the I.V. and wrapped the area with a bandage. As he lifted Tim up in a near bridal like style, Damian made the first move, lunging towards the assassin. The assassin accepted the challenge, not caring how cramped of a room they were in.

~

Tim was limp in Jason's arms as he made his way through the hospital. And while that would be concerning under normal circumstances, getting him out of there was all that mattered. He was lucid enough to communicate, mostly about his head hurting, which was a good thing.

Leslie was made aware of the situation and would try to contact the proper authorities. She even made it a point to discharge Tim even though he was in Jason's care rather than Bruce's. Who's care he was in didn't matter. Not when an assassin burst onto the scene looking for Tim.

As Jason made his way down to the main floor, he was greeted by glass shattering. Another assassin appeared before them, pointing a blade at them. If the hospital wasn't already in chaos, it was now.

"Hand over the boy." The assassin ordered.

Jason was silent, almost like he was contemplating it. Tim wasn't sure what was going to happen, but he hoping it wouldn't be horrific. The sound of a gun shot and the assassin said enough.

"How about no." Jason replied.

With Tim too weak to argue about Jason's tactic, and no one else seeming to care, Jason bolted out of the hospital.

~

Jason managed to get Tim home without a hitch. And once Tim was freshened up, Jason carefully tucked him into bed. The pillows were carefully propped so Tim would have some support above the mattress. Especially since Leslie wanted one more day of rest for the teen. Jason decided to stay with Tim for the night for surveillance purposes.

"How's the hospital?" Jason inquired.

"Good." Bruce noted. "No casualties, just unrest."

"And the kid?"

"Fine. Though I'll have to explain to the press that the assassin jumped out of the window of his own accord." Bruce shrugged. "Leslie will figure out if there's footage that needs to be conveniently corrupted."

They both turned their attention to Tim, who was sound asleep. Who was responsible for this plagued both their minds, and neither one was fond of what happened since.

"What did he do to you?" Jason mused.


	4. Chapter 4

"Last night we were attacked by someone." Bruce announced. "It seems that he was looking for my son and I fear it had to do with his recent disappearance. A disappearance I fear he still dies not remember. I would like to start by thanking the medical professionals that helped my son during this unprecedented time."

Bruce was pulled into a press conference the morning following the League assassin's attack. It was a bothersome, but necessary appearance that Bruce had to make. It wasn't everyday that a hospital got infiltrated by questionable figures. Even in Gotham.

"Where is Tim now?" Vicki Vale interrogated.

"Safely at home." Bruce answered. "As he should be."

"Do you know who this attacker was or who they may be working for?"

"That I do not know, but I trust the GCPD and it's allies will do their job and find out who's targeting my son."

"Do you feel at all responsible for the damages done to the hospital?"

"I do not. Tim did not ask for a masked man to barge into his hospital room. Nor did I or the staff. It is, however, unfortunate that damages were sustained. So I will make a sizable donation to help with any and all repairs."

"Is there anything else can you tell us about the assailant?"

"Only that he escaped through the same window he came in through."

~

"They sure love Bruce." Jason observed. 

Leaving Tim to sleep, Jason and Alfred decided to catch Bruce's briefing outside of the hospital. It was always a sight to behold, Bruce wooing the crowd like it's nothing. All the while keeping a calm persona.

"Of course," Alfred agreed, "he is Gotham's darling. Or so he'd have them believe."

"Gotham's darling my ass."

"Jason." A voice whined.

Turning towards the doorway, both noticed the hunched frame of Tim leaning against the doorframe. Jason approached Tim, a hand firmly landing on his back. Tim leaned into it slightly, letting his head fall onto Jason's shirt.

"What are you doing out of bed bud?" Jason asked.

A stomach growl answered Jason. Jason shot Alfred a glance, only to find him in the kitchen already. Looking aback at Tim, it was clear the teen didn't want to stand anymore.

"Let's get you to the table." Jason suggested.

No protests were made as hands helped guide Tim to the dining room. Jason pulled out a chair and gently sat Tim down. He then took a seat beside him. They sat in silence until Alfred came with Tim's favorite, chocolate chip pancakes, eggs and a big cup of coffee. Tim wasted no time hopping into breakfast, thanking Alfred. With this being his first real meal in a few days, both Jason and Alfred were glad that he was heartily eating.

"Slow down." Jason recommended with a smirk. "We don't need you choking."

Tim seemed to head his advise, slowing down. As he ate, Jason got a closer look at Tim. With all the chaos of the last few days he never really noticed certain physical attributes outside of Tim's head injury. The biggest being his weight. Tim was naturally slim, wit enough tone to outline what muscles he had. Now, he just seemed thinner than usual. It made Jason wonder why he hadn't noticed sooner.

"He really starved you, didn't he?" Jason sighed, just above a whisper.

"What?" Tim asked, looking at Jason.

"Oh, nothing." Jason ruffled Tim's hair. "So I'm thinking, since you'll probably be out of commission for a while, would you like to tag along with me to the base? The Outlaws could use a tactical observer."

"While that's a tempting offer, I doubt Bruce would let you." Tim admitted with a chuckle. "If he doesn't want me patrolling, like we know he will, I doubt he'll let you borrow me."

"It's worth a try."

Laughter erupted between the two. Getting Tim to laugh was a good thing, and Jason was glad that he did. The moment was disrupted by the sound of the door knocking. With Tim done with breakfast, they decided to get up and answer the door.

The two continued to converse with Jason continuing to try and con him into joining the Outlaws for a bit. His offers including good pay, insurance, and his own room away from the demon spawn. As Jason opened the door, he curtly stopped his playful badger, too stunned by who was in front of them. Talia al Ghul. Jason shoved Tim behind him and drew his firearm.

"You're not taking him." Jason growled.

"I'm not here for Timothy. I need to speak to my Beloved."

"Like I'm going to just let you in."

"If you want my warning you most certainly will."

~

Talia was given access to the den and offered tea. While Bruce wasn't expecting or all to thrilled about Talia's visit, he did want to hear what she had to say. Jason took Tim to meet up with the Outlaws for lunch, provided he bring Tim back in an hour or two, and would be filled in once they returned. It was for the best. With Tim out of the house, Bruce knew Talia would not have the chance to pull a surprise abduction.

"Father is not happy that you got Timothy back." Talia bluntly stated.

"Well my son is not your father's plaything." Bruce argued. "He will not be getting Tim back."

"Just what I expected you to hear. Not that I blame you."

Now was as good a time as any for Bruce to start interrogating Talia. If he could get some answers, maybe that could help out not only himself, but Tim. 

"What did he do to Tim?"

"That I do not know."

"How do you not know? Ra's is your father, you have to know something."

"And he made sure to keep a close leash on Timothy. Outside of meals, Ra's kept Timothy in the prison he called a room as well as his own."

A stunned and disturbed glare shot at Talia.

"If my father did anything questionable, which he didn't, Dr. Thompkins would have told you."

Talia stood up, ready to leave. There was a silence between the two as Bruce showed her to the door. There was a pause, a single question on Bruce's mind.

"Why did you come if you knew nothing?" Bruce asked.

"A warning." Talia replied, facing him. "My father made a promise to take Timothy back by any means necessary. I do not know what he has planned for the young man, but for your sake and his, you better keep a close eye on him."


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason, Tim, and Bruce discuss Talia's warning and a discussion is made between Bruce and Jason.

"Can we trust her?" Jason hissed. "Considering what her father did to Tim."

Tim and Jason had returned not too long after Talia left. Tim took her warning as best as he could, but the looming threat that Ra's would return frightened him. Not wanting Tim to retreat to his room alone, in the off chance he went into a full panic, the trio got settled in the den. Tim was securely placed by Jason's side, as if glued to Jason at the hip. A hand was wrapped around Tim's shoulders in attempt to give him some relief.

The energy between the two was different. While Tim was reasonably anxious about the encounter, Jason was suspicious. Talia wasn't exactly the most reliable of resources. Even if she and Bruce had history. She did what she wanted and it wasn't always morally correct. Jason's suspicions were well founded, but he thought that he should at least her her case. It was the least he could do.

"Under normal circumstances, trusting her is debatable." Bruce admitted. "But considering she came here to warn us without prompting, I think we can hold her warning true. If she were really here to take Tim she would have the moment you opened the door. Or even sending out assassins to take him while you were out. She's loyal to a fault, but she has never had much of am interest in Tim when compared to Ra's."

"That's true." Jason replied. "However, I still have my suspicions. She may not have taken him today, but who's to say she won't the next time?" Jason turned to Tim. "What do you think Tim? Should we take her at her word?"

Tim took a moment to consider both arguments. Memory or not, Talia's motivations were always shifty at best. That was nothing new. She loved Bruce, but was also loyal to her father. That being said, she hadn't done a thing outside of ruffling Jason's feathers and giving Tim a mild panic attack. That meant something to Tim.

"Bruce has a point." Tim agreed. "If I really was her target, she would have done whatever she could to take me. I can't say I trust her wholeheartedly, none of us really can, but I feel like we can trust her warning." Tim shrugged. "Despite that however, her warning only confirms the inevitable. I am still a target." Tim sighed. "May I be excused?"

The doorway became the only exit as Tim stood up. A hand grabbed his wrist as he took the first step. Looking at Jason, he could see the concern in Jason's eyes. He knew Jason wanted to stop him, to keep him close, but Tim just wanted to get out of there. He wanted to hide in his room. He twisted and pulled his arm until he was able to dislodge it from Jason's grasp. Once free, Tim bolted up to his room. Jason stood up, pausing as he saw Alfred followed after Tim.

"Tim." Jason anxiously sighed.

There was a moment of silence as Jason kept his eyes on the doorway. Understanding Tim's need to vacate the room, Jason couldn't help but worry. For now though, he had Alfred, which was always a positive. Alfred would look after him for now.

"You better not plan on bolting." Bruce bluntly demanded.

Jason was appalled by Bruce's statement. If he really thought that Jason was going to abandon Tim in this condition, he must not have known how close they had grown. He looked at Bruce with a stinging glare.

"How dare you." Jason hissed. "Do you really think I would leave Tim like this?" 

"I hope not." Bruce replied.

Bruce approached Jason. He didn't mean to sound as accusatory as he did, but it couldn't be helped. With the situation like it was, Bruce only wanted what was best for Tim. Jason's commitment to Tim would be put to the test until this was over. And while he hoped for positive outlooks, Bruce couldn't help but wonder how this would effect everyone by the time this was over.

"I trust you'll keep his best intertest at heart." Bruce expected.

Jason shrugged off Bruce's sentiment, not wanting to engage further. He left the room, cruising up to the stairs. He made it a point to check on Tim. Relieving Alfred from Tim duty, Jason entered the room. Jason found Tim in his room, hiding underneath his blankets. Jason didn't wait for an invitation, sitting on the bed beside him. He could tell that Tim was depressed, not that he could blame Tim. But when Jason saw him shaking, Jason knew Tim was also frightened. In an attempt to comfort the younger man, Jason wrapped his arms around Tim, taking part of the comforter with him. When he didn't fight it, Jason knew that he accepted it.

"It's going to be okay." Jason sighed.

"It's not." Tim sighed. 

"We're going to keep you safe."

Tim was not in the mood to argue, going silent. Jason held on to Tim tighter, wanting to soothe Tim. He wasn't crying, which was a plus. Unless Tim was suppressing his emotion. Either way, he was accepting Jason's aura. Keeping Tim safe was going to be a priority for Jason, if it wasn't already.


End file.
